From left: John Goodlet, GM of Simcoe Collision~CSN, Larry French, national director of sales, CSN and Paul Cripps of Extreme Response Canada with a $10,000 donation to Haiti relief on behalf of CSN locations across Canada.

John Goodlet, general manager of Simcoe Collision~CSN, who had been to Haiti twice over the past few years on humanitarian projects, advised CSN to get in touch with Extreme Response Canada.

Extreme Response Canada is a humanitarian aid organization committed to meeting the needs of people living in extreme situations. They work primarily through partnerships with community-based organizations, helping them reach out to their neighbours. They are actively involved in 18 countries through 27 partnerships or projects and currently have two projects on the go in Haiti.

As John Goodlet has had first hand experience in Haiti, he has seen the results Extreme Response has on the people there. “Many times when you are donating to a cause you may think you are giving, but in fact you are receiving," Goodlet said. "I gave them my hands, they gave me their hearts”

Extreme Response Canada was founded in 2006 as a non-profit global organization dedicated to providing relief and support to people living in extreme, often life-threatening conditions. With a passion for the world’s poor, Extreme Response Canada programs target those at greatest risk. Priority areas of program support focus on addressing the most immediate and critical physical needs and include:

• Providing shelter for those with no home.
• Providing school supplies and education for those who want more opportunities.
• Providing food for those who are hungry.
• Providing love for those who need a hug and encouragement.
• Providing life-skills training for those who will soon be left to fend for themselves.

A Q&A with Paul Cripps of Extreme Response Canada:

What do you mean by “extreme situations”?

We target the poorest of the poor, people in extreme physical, emotional or spiritual poverty. This may also include those who are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS, orphans, widows, homeless, uneducated or under educated, misplaced persons etc.

How do you change their lives?

Many of the situations we enter are so extreme that we need to begin with the basics, nutrition, shelter, health and hygiene. As the situation permits we also help with education and education reinforcement for children and adults. Counseling, vocational and life skills training are also taught.

What are “community-based organizations”, and what do you mean by “partnership”?

A community-based organization may be a local foundation, community group, church or school. These organizations are made up of people from the community, they usually have a ready set of volunteers, and they have a formal accountability system in place. Since they are in the community, the community helps keep them accountable too.

When we say partnership we mean that each partner contributes to the effectiveness of the other. Extreme Response, at the request of the community-based partner helps seek funding to help the partner meet their goals. We also allow our partners to receive donations through us in the countries where we are incorporated. We hold the partner accountable for how donated funds are spent. We provide ongoing encouragement, and development for the organization’s top leaders. We also send volunteers and volunteer teams to help our partners as requested.

The community-based partner helps ER be more effective by keeping our staff informed regarding the changing situation and needs of the poor around the world. They give our volunteer workers the opportunity to serve the poor through hands on involvement. They educate our volunteer workers regarding the true needs of the poor and the most effective ways “outsiders” can reach out to them. Partners increase the effectiveness of ER as they enable us to meet our goal of “changing the lives of people living in extreme situations."

In what other ways do you help people?

We respond to disasters and other relief situations at the request of our partners. We also help with special project requests, presented to us by our partners and others as we can.

For more information please visit extremeresponse.org.

Donations gratefully accepted at:
Extreme Response Canada
P.O. Box 1013
Simcoe On N3Y 5B3
Phone: (519)428-7112